Green Mountain Freeman

The Shoeless Horse. - Mr. R. A. Luck's horse, entered in the tradesmen's class at Darlington, for the purpose of allowing persons interested with the question of the shoeing of horses the opportunity of inspecting the feet of a horse that had done hard work on macadamized roads without shoes, attracted considerable attention. Experienced farriers, huntsmen, farmers, tradesmen and gentlemen were to be seen in groups round the horse all the afternoon, critically examining its hoofs. The curiosity evinced was not surprising, nor the scepticism with which the various inspections were made, and not less noticeable was the general astonishment and wonder expressed at the remarkable results of Mr. Luck's experiment. It is so universally believed (says the Darlington Times) that the shoeing of horses is absolutely necessary that it appeared almost incredible that an animal which had been unsound in its feet could be made sound by shoeing, and more than this, that it could, after nearly a year's regular work over country and town roads, show such perfect hoofs. The development of the feet was a constant source of wonder, and Mr. Luck, who courteously explained the circumstances of the experiment, must have been somewhat wearied at having to explain in detail so often how he had succeeded. It is not exaggeration to say, indeed it was admitted by all who saw the animal, that no horse on the field possessed four sounder or better feet, and this simply by allowing nature to have her own way. No task is more difficult than to root out long accepted ideas, and we can scarcely expect that a tithe of those who admitted the success so clearly demonstrated will forthwith abandon shoeing as an unnecessary practice, but wherever men interested in horses congregate together, the subject will be a theme of discussion for the next nine days. Nothing more surprising was seen at the show, and not a few were convinced, against their will, that what they had hitherto regarded as impossible had actually been achieved. In many parts of the country we understand gentlemen are regularly working unshod horses, and with equally satisfactory results to those demonstrated at Darlington, and doubtless ere long Mr. Luck will find many imitators in the north. - Cambridge (England) Chronicle.